12.23.2008

Okay. So snow is kinda winning me over on days when one of the following apply: a) a weekend, b) an official "Snow Day," or c) a weekday in which I can now "telecommute" in lieu of going to work. Snowballs never seem to get old, snowmen will always make me laugh/point, and everything just looks cooler covered in it, especially Hilltop. But on a day when I have to trek out to Lakewood or, you know, get anything done that cannot be completed indoors, it fills me with hate and fear, hateful fear. Growing up I probably imagined that I'd be able to go through life without ever having to drive in the snow - but those childlike dreams died a couple of winters ago when I had to drive to get a paycheck from a coffee shop I worked at, and make it down an insanely steep hill. If a friend from the East Coast hadn't been in the car with me at the time, I'm sure my car would've spun into a mailbox or an electrical poll. I've gotten the jist of what to do down now, but it makes me no less fearful, friends. Even if I'm a safe, overly cautious snow driver, I can't say the same for all the other idiots out there, tailing me, or trying to drive ahead of snow plows.

I'm coming to realize the best jobs out there are the ones that a) pay you when you can't come to work/fear for your life due to "inclement weather" or b) the ones that let you work from home. I want the slushy snow to end, so that my family/friends can drive free of worry! That, or let it snow so hard that all institutions will close down for a week, allowing all to bask in the glory that is constant sledding, snowballing, and hot cocoa. What'll it be, vengeful snow gods?!?

11.22.2008

That's what I feel that this year is doing now - zooming before my eyes. I can't yawn without a day passing. I know, it's like this every year, cliche cliche, etc, but still. It never ceases to amaze me.

Lately it's been work, Weekly writing and art gallery visits, lots of reading, lots of Lost watching, being lazy about cooking and making cop-out dinners, sleeping early, waking up early, lots of smiling because of Rick, (as always), attempts at catching up with friends from home (some successful, mostly not - phone tag is lame), and writing ideas down for a book. Finally. This is something I've been putting off for way too long. I've got a bunch of short stories in Word files, on paper, in notebooks, but none of them follow a theme or are really related at all. I've also become privy to the fact that one cannot publish a book of short stories (usually) unless they have a novel out and (obviously) do well with it, so this is the logical progression for things. I've got 2 ideas, and one seems slightly more feasible so I'm going with that.

I've been reading Tete-a-Tete, and just finished it yesterday. It's a dual biography about the lives, (both professional and personal, although those often melded) of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre...two writers/philosophers/thinkers that I admire very much. I read de Beauvoir first in the Virginia Woolf class I took while in Oxford, and fell in love with her ideas and the way that she so seamlessly puts them together. Also, greatly because of her feminist leanings. Then I read Nausea three summers ago and was blown away, so much so that I devoured many of his other works. I must've read it in a day and a half. I love when a book makes me excited and spurns discussions and thoughts the way Sartre's work does. I was a Philosophy minor in college, but there were no Existentialist classes in my school nor did any of my other instructors really touch upon it much. So I did all the reading and research myself, and it was grand.

Tete-a-Tete, in addition to just being an informative and excellent read, really served to inspire me to get started with my writing again. For the past couple of years it's been either short stories, or daily journaling/writing down of observations, but no big idea to work on or towards. Reading about how dedicated both Sartre/de Beauvoir were about writing, re-writing, and carving out hours of every day (even after teaching) to get all of their thoughts out, just made me realize how much I'm slacking with one of my greatest passions/sources of happiness. I do write on a weekly basis for the Weekly, and that still feels amazing, but I want to make time to write for myself now too, as opposed to trying to fit it in with everything else. So, this is the goal. We'll see how I do with it.

Thanksgiving is coming up next week! Any holiday where food is the main event is automatically my favorite holiday. Well, as long as it isn't with my family, that is. I still have no idea what I'm making for the main course and dessert for our "Vegan Thanksgiving Extravaganza 2k8!" that's taking place at Rick's mom's place, but I've got a couple of things I'm mulling over. Pumpkin-cranberry cupcakes? Pumpkin cheesecake? Gingerbread apple pie? I'll decide soon enough. But this is where the funny irony comes up...people are always asking me what I CAN eat, because apparently there's nothing for vegans to eat. But whenever I have to make something, I'm always overwhelmed with all the choices I have. Poor ignorant fools.

Gonna snack then head out to write with Rick in a bit. Happy rest of weekend, all.

10.09.2008

Last week I started my new job. The first day was a whirlwind of information, new faces with names I still might not remember, Excel spreadsheets and really helpful individuals. The woman whom I'm replacing is incredibly sweet and thankfully on the same floor of the college, so she trains me a bit everyday so that slowly I can acquire all of the knowledge she's gained in 12 years at the job, (not 7, but 12!). She understands that it would be impossible to learn all of the little and big things that I need to know how to do all at once, and is basically just teaching me as they come up. It is so amazing to be have bosses/people around me who understand that you can't do a job well until you've had full and proper training. Most people would assume that this is standard, but I can attest from a hellish experience that it isn't always. So being on the same page about taking things slow and learning things the right way is refreshing and calming. I've been told that it will take me about 9 months to a year to have the job down, so it makes me feel good despite the fact that I don't have all the answers yet.

I've had a couple of big projects to handle already because I came in at the busiest time of the year - beginning of fall quarter - but I think I've handled them pretty well considering. Last week I attended 2 meetings: a Division meeting (for the Arts & Humanities Dept. in which I work) and a summit on Arts Education in the Tacoma area that my boss put on. It was held at the Tacoma Art Museum, and was a really interesting event to watch and think about. There were other professors/instructors from local colleges/universities, museum representatives, high school arts reps, arts commission and organization people and local artists as well. The main topics of discussion were what is it that students need to know about continuing art after school ends, what is the community doing for art, and how can these two things be brought together to benefit the other. It seemed like there was a lot of general consensus about what needed to happen, and some interesting points were brought up, but I felt like one integral group pertinent to the discussion was not represented or being spoken about: artists who are my age, or who also graduated college recently. They talked a lot about what happens when you're in school, but not a lot after. Also, I feel that (as an artist myself, and also as a friend to many working artists) recent college grads don't always know the ways in which they can make their art and still be able to afford rent. It's usually a case of one or the other, and it really shouldn't have to come down to that.

The business side of art isn't always taught in school, (it's even sometimes avoided), and as a result some 20-somethings come out of college not knowing what to charge for their art, how to do your taxes when you make/sell art, what resources are available to them, how to get medical insurance if their jobs don't provide it, etc. I know there are some great resources out there, (Artist Trust, 4 Culture, Tacoma Arts Commission, to name a few), that do support artists in their endeavors, but there really needs to be more. There should just be a class, an integral, pre-requisite class in all art curriculum around the country that breaks all of this information down for those who are entering the "real world." Art shouldn't have to be stifled because of lack of knowledge about how to live and be an artist concurrently. The two should be able to occur harmoniously, and when that happens both the artist and communities benefit.

In summation, I really liked that art summit. It got me thinking, and I even asked a question towards the end, (I was helping out the boss lady by writing notes about the discussion on the wall, but finally opened my mouth). She later thanked me for doing such a great job at the event, then two days later her boss emailed me, thanking me for for my good work as well. All of this positive reinforcement so early into the job is wonderful, and is making me confident in my decision to work here, and in my abilities to do the job well.

In the middle of last week, something really really rad happened. Clare (Rick's bro Riley's gf) called and asked if I was still interested in freelancing for the Tacoma Weekly. It was really ironic, because just that day I was daydreaming and thinking about how I should try and get a hold of the Weekly Volcano, because it seemed that the Tacoma Weekly wouldn't work out. Not so, my friends! I met with her boss the next day, and he pretty much hired me then and there to write for the Arts & Entertainment dept. solely on Clare's word. I had no newspaper clips to speak of prior to that meeting, so it meant a lot that he agreed to hire me on a part-time basis not having seen a paragraph of my work. Although I haven't exactly had journalistic stuff published, I have done tons of reviews for various classes in college, so it's not anything I'm not familiar with. I did my first review this past weekend on an art gallery show that recently opened in Tacoma, and also have taken over the Calendar section. I'll be writing at least one A&E article per week and updating both the physical/online calendars in the future, so this will be a regular, ongoing gig. Today I had the physical article in my hand, and it felt unreal. It was so sweet to see my name on the page connected to a piece I wrote and am proud of. I know many friends who write for papers or magazines and have been published for years, some on a daily basis, and they've probably forgotten this feeling. But I want to try to hold on to it as long as I can.

And with that, I've had a most awesome week. I finished the Murakami book, (hooray!), Rick and I are gonna work on some new Balls Crazy joints, and I have an income again! I hope everyone else is enjoying/experiencing life just as much.

10.02.2008

yes.in light of tonight's VP debate, the katie couric interview, and every other public performance of Sarah Palin ever, i think this poster pretty much sums up my sentiments on the notorious hockey mom and "joe six-pack" supporter. not the leader, (female leader at that) for me!

9.28.2008

It's been a long time since I actually cared about my performance at a place of employment, so this speaks highly of the job itself. I have done most of the things I will be doing there, but hope that I'll be able to do them well, or at least to the best of my abilities. The last woman in the position worked it for something like 7 years. Yikes. I have nowhere near that much experience, but that's okay. I am quick and bright and pick up things fast in good, creative environments. I'm optimistic, because I know this job will be good for me and teach me the ins and outs of the educational world, in case I ever do decide to pick up teaching as a job. You never quite know with me.

Off to keep reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, aka the book that is taking me forever to read. I am so, so close to finishing and can't wait to see how it resolves. I love my Murakami, but I have so many books just waiting to be read next. Delicious, lovely books.

Stop voting for people you want to have a beer with. Stop voting for folksy. Stop voting for people who remind you of your neighbor. Stop voting for the ideologically intransigent, the staggeringly ignorant, and the blazingly incompetent.

Vote for someone smarter than you. Vote for someone who inspires you. Vote for someone who has not only traveled the world but who has also shown a deep understanding and compassion for it. The stakes are real and they’re terrifyingly high. This election matters. It matters. It really matters. Let me say that one more time. This. Really. Matters.

9.26.2008

This made me want to simultaneously faceplant and pull my hair out.I sincerely don't understand people when they say that she is a prime candidate to help facilitate the running of our country.

In better news, I got a job! At a college nearby, in the Arts & Humanities Department. It will be challenging and not at all boring because it seems like different things pop up each day, and I am so happy for that. I've had a slew of jobs that thrive on repetition and routine and it's not my thing. I like dynamism and development and newness. So hooray for that, and I start on Monday.

Also, Rick and I went to the Puyallup Fair on the second to the last day and had an awesome time. We went last year and I didn't want to miss going this year. Went on lots of rides, took photobooth pictures (still need to scan) and of course, people-watched. It's definitely not a display of America's finest, but it is inevitably entertaining nonetheless.

We saw Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds earlier this week at Showbox SODO, and I was completely blown away. I guess he hadn't toured the states in 6 or so years, so the venue was packed and his performance was ridiculous. He has more energy than about 95% of the musicians I've seen in my life, and literally screams every syllable of his songs. His backing band was very much worthy of supporting such an act, decked out in tailored suits with massive beards and gaudy jewelry. I've appreciated their music since Rick introduced me to them, but now I really am awestruck by their performance and way more admirable of their work.

Yesterday, Rick, some HPB people, Riley and I went to the Pacific Science Center (I'd never been), Easy Street, and Roti. The Pacific Science Center was SO awesome! Science! Butterflies! Planetarium! I can't believe I hadn't visited before. It was quite the enjoyable time walking through all the exhibits and playing with the interactive ones.

Since today's my last real weekday before working, I'm trying to get a bunch of errands done that I would most likely not have time to do working 40 hours. So off to finish those. Don't forget to watch the debates tonight!

9.15.2008

For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin' redneck," like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested."White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn't added until the 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto is "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she's being disrespectful.White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college and the fact that she lives close to Russia--you're somehow being mean, or even sexist.White privilege is being able to convince white women who don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because suddenly your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look."White privilege is being able to fire people who didn't support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.White privilege is when you can take nearly twenty-four hours to get to a hospital after beginning to leak amniotic fluid, and still be viewed as a great mom whose commitment to her children is unquestionable, and whose "next door neighbor" qualities make her ready to be VP, while if you're a black candidate for president and you let your children be interviewed for a few seconds on TV, you're irresponsibly exploiting them.White privilege is being able to give a 36 minute speech in which you talk about lipstick and make fun of your opponent, while laying out no substantive policy positions on any issue at all, and still manage to be considered a legitimate candidate, while a black person who gives an hour speech the week before, in which he lays out specific policy proposals on several issues, is still criticized for being too vague about what he would do if elected.White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.White privilege is being able to go to a prestigious prep school, then to Yale and then Harvard Business school, and yet, still be seen as just an average guy (George W. Bush) while being black, going to a prestigious prep school, then Occidental College, then Columbia, and then to Harvard Law, makes you "uppity," and a snob who probably looks down on regular folks.White privilege is being able to graduate near the bottom of your college class (McCain), or graduate with a C average from Yale (W.) and that's OK, and you're cut out to be president, but if you're black and you graduate near the top of your class from Harvard Law, you can't be trusted to make good decisions in office.White privilege is being able to dump your first wife after she's disfigured in a car crash so you can take up with a multi-millionaire beauty queen (who you go on to call the c-word in public) and still be thought of as a man of strong family values, while if you're black and married for nearly twenty years to the same woman, your family is viewed as un-American and your gestures of affection for each other are called "terrorist fist bumps."White privilege is being able to sing a song about bombing Iran and still be viewed as a sober and rational statesman, with the maturity to be president, while being black and suggesting that the U.S. should speak with other nations, even when we have disagreements with them, makes you "dangerously naive and immature."White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism and an absent father is apparently among the "lesser adversities" faced by other politicians, as Sarah Palin explained in her convention speech.And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole "change" thing. Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.White privilege is, in short, the problem.

9.11.2008

This past week, Rick and I went on another quick mini-vacation to Portland to see M.Ward/Calvin Johnson @ the Crystal Ballroom. It was excellent times, filled with Powell's, record stores, cool new people, parks and so much delicious vegan food. We checked out Red & Black finally, and loved it. It was much smaller than I anticipated, but it had a home-y friendly feel to it that made it incredibly inviting. It was lined with cool artwork, guitars, and posters announcing various cool events around town. And I had no idea that it was employee-owned and pretty much essentially a co-op. Portland seriously has it together. I'm jealous of these awesome Socialist organizations and entities that abound in this city.

Anyway, the food was delightful, and I'm assuming they grow the majority of their veggies. We also checked out Blossoming Lotus, which I've read a ton about in various blogs, and was not disappointed by. It reminded me of the vegan restaurant I worked at in LA, (Native Foods) except it was about 50% more hippie-dippie than Native, only cemented by the fact that it was connected to a yoga studio. The hippie-ish thing isn't necessarily a bad thing; I find it endearing, but I know most people would probably be annoyed by it a tad. I had a Mediterranean type salad thing with Kalamata olives and tofu feta and Rick had a curried vegetable bowl that was delicious. To top it off, I naturally had to get the vegan soft serve. To make matters even more perfect, the weather was amazing out and the flavor was chocolate peanut butter. Om nom noms. If I actually lived in Portland, I would go there a few times a week, just for this soft serve. Also because of it's insanely convenient proximity to the main Powell's store.

We also checked out Laurelhurst park for me to bask in the sun, and for Rick to seek shade under a tree. Also, to get some quality reading time in.

Rick, playing with new toy, under the tree, readin' about Spike Lee

M.Ward was effortlessly tight-sounding, per usual. We were closer to the stage than I've ever been at the Crystal Ballroom, and that made for some actually decent camera pictures. We'd just seem him perform a few days prior at Bumbershoot, but thankfully he switched the lineup a tad and played some more Portland-local songs that the residents (and wannabes) eat up. He also played "Undertaker," which made Rick and I very very happy. He played for about an hour and a half and then did a short encore. Calvin Johnson, on the other hand, played for about all of 20 minutes. I'd never seen him live before, but I enjoy his work on the whole and was semi-disappointed by the tiny set. But damn, I had no idea that he'd gotten so old.

M. Ward and awesome old man/whistler guitarist + bassist

On the keys. Rick described this photo later as being "AP-worthy." Shucks.

As is the case every time we get home from Portland, I am that much more in love with the city than the last time. In other more dismal/local news, I am still unemployed. I am getting interviews (good) but have yet to cinch something, (bleh). There are so many cool jobs out there and I think I have some relevant experience for them, but apparently these two factors aren't adding up quite yet. I'm waiting to hear back from two non-profits in Seattle, so crossing my fingers. I'd honestly be happy with either, although I'd obviously love to not commute. We shall see, I'm still applying to anything that sounds semi-interesting, and hopefully something will play out soon.

Switching gears (literally), we picked up my beautiful red Schwinn bicycle that Bonnie gave me for my birthday last year (and that I have yet to ride) from Rick's dad's today. I need to get new tubes, check the brakes, and hopefully it will be ready to ride. It's so lovely, I can't wait.

8.28.2008

camping! hence the smore-making from a few posts ago. i haven't been in years, haven't been with rick, and have never been here...

so clearly this needs to happen. especially before fall sets in and my dreams of outdoor adventure die along with the summertime.

this one needs no explanation, but i'll give it to you anyway. i'm actually in need of a new phone right now. we justify this purchase by the fact that we travel so much and an iphone is just infinitely more convenient to pull out to look for local resaturants/record stores/bookstores than a laptop.

and tickets to see these dudes

(aka, My Bloody Valentine)

in LA, specifically. when will this tour happen again?! i don't know, and that's why i can't take the chance on missing it. fate is so, so cruel.

ryan adams/oasis @ the wamu theater on tuesday was brilliant in a way. the booking agent that thought of bringing together the two very distinct, vainglorious personalities of liam gallagher and ryan adams deserves some sort of creativity medal for his/her genius. ryan adams was sounding excellent, and the cardinals' harmonies rounded out their set nicely. seeing oasis basically equated to one of my biggest junior high dreams come true. the 11-year-old Dawn inside screamed at the top of her lungs numerous times. i left that show quite content.

saturday = bumbershoot to see lucinda williams, neko case, m.ward, and pwrfl power. i've never seen neko or lucinda, so i am quite stoked. i've also never been to bumbershoot, so hooray for seattle rites of passage! everyone have fun celebrating labor day, particularly those who actually labor during their days.

8.24.2008

8.13.2008

Vegan marshmallow making kits! Genius! Why hasn't someone in the US already gotten on this? Marshmallows, (and thus, sadly, smores) are probably the last food item I have yet to find/make a delicious vegan substitute for. I hear rumors that co-ops/Whole Foods/other natural foods stores carry them, but they're always sold out. At Food Fight! in Portland, they even had a sign specifically letting shoppers know that no, they don't have any vegan marshmallows in. I am so stoked to get this, and have a massive smoresfest.

Rick and I have moved onto watching Freaks & Geeks in the time when he's not editing, and I'm not job-hunting/interviewing. I can't believe I'd never seen this show before, because it is so up my alley. Like a sort of updated Wonder Years, minus the inner dialogue and with sassier characters and even more awkward situations. The writing and actors are truly what seem to make the show work well, and I can't get enough of the painful teenage drama scenes that make me so thankful to be out of high school. Judd Apatow = genius.

7.27.2008

Lego Stephen Hawking! I've been yearning for Legos hard lately, but this just takes it to a whole new level.(kottke.org)

For die-hard Donkey Kong and/or King of King lovers, only.(whatisblik.com/nintendo)

(20x200.com)

I keep reading about this project everywhere, and it sounds amazing. Artists out of New York put up new pieces every week, one photo and one work on paper. Depending upon the size, you can buy 1 of 200 for $20, (hence the name), medium sized pieces for $200, or larger editions of 2 for $2,000...which I know, no one reading this can probably afford. But still! Anyway, some of the pieces are excellent, and the site seems like a good way to add art to a collection. Hooray for pretty, cheap art!

Today I made waffles for the first time ever, and they were lovely. Banana walnut, topped with blackberries to be exact. Rick's mom got the iron for me for my birthday, and I can't wait to create tons of other crazy concoctions with it in the future. The blackberries came from the Proctor Farmer's Market that we went to bright and early yesterday. 1/2 a flat for $12, quite impressive. We've basically just been eating them by themselves though.

The birthday was chill. No crazy party/dinner this year, which was a nice change up. I got some lovely gifts and spent the day relaxing with Rick. I couldn't have asked for a better way to ring in my mid-20's.

7.17.2008

I'm down with breakfast.I swear I read an article about this exact same photo set in the NY Times, but maybe I'm making it up. I was surprised by the facts that a) there's a lot less cereal than I anticipated, b) SO MUCH TOAST/ENGLISH MUFFINS, c) lots of coffee-only people. But I guess the last one wasn't as surprising.

Worth taking a gander at I think.

Also, Rick has helped me start my creative writing pursuits up again. He's probably one of the best teachers I've ever had, and he puts up with my bs excuses better that anyone! I'm 7 pages into a short story I came up with a few days ago. I'm stoked. Only good can come from this. Grad school portfolio completion, here I come.

The movie shooting has been going really well. I think as of yesterday it's more than 60% completed. Kind of mindblowing when you really mull it over. I had my cameo, and it wasn't nearly as tough seeing myself on film as I'd anticipated. I'm getting better at this, but I suppose that comes with the territory of dating a boy who's good with the camera.

Also, we're going to do a vegan cooking show to be posted on Youtube. This is kind of a ridiculous venture, but well worth the effort. I think the hardest part is going to be coming up with unique recipes that I haven't stolen from every first-class vegan cookbook out there. We'll see, but I'm pretty sure the first recipe will be my famous tofu scramble with spicy potatoes. Om nom noms.

6.19.2008

I got news yesterday that one of my best friends from college is engaged. I can't say that I'm that surprised, (she's that kind of girl who grew up on and saw no problem with Disney movies and who's been waiting to be swept off her feet; also, read: is still Catholic), but Jesus, it astounds me how fast people my age are willing to jump into this. I mean, it is the 20-26 year old thing to do, and if both people are in the place to make such a move, then I don't think there's a problem with it. But some of the time, [and as is the case for 2 of my 3 friends who recently got engaged] one of the two does not have a stable source of income...not to mention, may not be emotionally ready for that kind of commitment. Moreover and more specifically to the aforementioned friend, the guy fucked up kind of royally not two months ago, and she's writing it off because a) he put a ring on her finger and b) they decided to go to couples' therapy. I think therapy could've come in handy for both separately before the whole engagement conversation ensued!

Like many of my Generation-Y (Bother?) counterparts, I'm a product of divorce. Thus, I feel inclined to try and stop my friends from being victims of it before it happens. Especially before kids get involved...kids could be an entire entry unto themselves. I told my friend that I was happy for her, because I couldn't really say "Stop! He's going to hurt you again, but this time you'll be married! Can you support yourself if things go awry?" Etc.,etc. I would say the same things to a male friend if his girlfriend was doing him wrong, because men are definitely not the only ones that fuck up. It just irks me that people at this age feel that marriage is what you have to do - that there's some sort of clock [especially for women] ticking that indicates your time for this experience may be up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not completely anti-marriage. I'm just anti-marriage when the couple in question has things to sort through, and/or are getting married under the wrong circumstances. If trust, communication or the tangible things necessary to enable marriage aren't there, I feel like it's a bomb waiting to go off. I see how some may argue that you just have to trust that things will work out and be open to the possibility, like anything else. But if you could prevent alimony/child support, years of heartache, and a broken spirit, from occurring wouldn't you? Shrug. Then again, I'm not completely anti-divorce in some circumstances either. Sometimes it's best for both parties, and oftentimes people change while being married.

I love the dress, the ceremony, the cake and unique locales that accompany weddings like any other lady. I love seeing really happy people who are ready to get married do it. But I'm also akin to the fact that marriage isn't the only option, and that commitment should matter more than anything else.

/rant

In other news, life is grand. No more bookstore, and I love this weather. Baseball, anyone?

6.01.2008

so, it's now june. this shit's been neglected.

i so badly want to talk about the sex and the city movie, but i feel like i can't write anything about it without mentioning the whole boom mic debacle that apparently went on in it, which i, of course, had not noticed. gah. i could save a full review for later, but suffice it to say, the film was enjoyable. too much product advertisement [obviously], a bit too much lame humor, and a terrible soundtrack aside, it was definitely worth seeing for the hardcore fan. i think i NEED to see it again though, just to see if i'm straight-up blind, or if some people are exaggerating and/or wrong?

other pertinent news: i quit my job yesterday! the one i was so enthusiastic about in the beginning, the in the "realm of books" one. yeah. i'm done.it's not that the place itself was terrible. it's more of what i did, or what i didn't get to do, and some of the people i worked with that killed it for me. i thought about it long, and hard, probably for a good month. but i knew after the first week there i didn't want to be there for long. i just realized that it wasn't a place i'd want to be, even if they gave me a better position. i want to be writing the books, not selling them. so i gave my notice, and breathed a sigh of relief.

this undoubtedly means that i'm back on the unemployed train, but i'm not too worried right now. i'm going to be production assistant-ing it on the boy's feature length film for june/july, and also applied to be a freelance writer for a local weekly. i really pray that works out, because if it does, it's hopefully my ticket into the freelance arena. and i'd really like to see my name in print again.

4.04.2008

i am bottomless pit. put it in my face, and if it contains no animal products i will most certainly consume it. why?

the new raveonettes album is like crack. every time i hear it, i think thisissofuckinggood and just want to keep listening to it. i want to tell everyone i know about it, so they can share in this glorious revelation. i used to kinda hate on this band, so i'm eating my words now.

also, wii is grand. i like having the ability to check the weather, news, and get my bowling on all in one convenient console. although, i am probably the worst golfer [both wii and irl] in the universe.

3.20.2008

all that i want right now is a picnic by a large body of water, at like 2 in the morning, with a bonfire, essentials to make vegan smores, people to consume smores with and talk about how fucking cold we are because we're having a bonfire in "spring" in Washington state, and the guitar that's in my lap now, so i can wow everyone with the jam i just taught myself - "blonde on blonde" by nada surf. that's all.

3.13.2008

That's because I was. Was chugging/popping dayquil a few months ago. Now it's back. I hate winter. Incessant illness, snow, and lack of visible sun are the three main culprits. Summer is too filled with wonderful things and adventures to let something silly like a cold get in the way.

No more odes to dayquil now.

No more sleep either, because it seems that that's all sick days are good for.

I received my first rejection letter from an online publisher last month. I printed it out and want to post it and all future rejection letters on the fridge. I am not ashamed, I want everyone to see. They will remind me of 'where I came from' and also of 'where I am going,' I think. We shall see, but I'm already behind as I didn't send any out for February. Double up, March.

PS - Dead Poets Society is a brilliant film. I don't know what held me back for so long.

1.13.2008

last night i turned and turned and turned and tossed for around 4 hours. 2am-6am, approx. i am usually a hit-the-bed-out-instantaneously kind of person, but i think caffeine turned on me. it did not make me beautiful. it made me drowsy all day today. i think i consumed ~5 cups yesterday throughout the day, topping my last cup off with 2 pieces of See's candy. peppermint tea treated me better today. my tolerance for high levels of caffeine consumption has weakened considerably over the last year. tragic.

i have my first screening? interview? i don't know what they're called, but my first jaunt at attempting to find employment at a staffing company tomorrow. i'll probably regret writing this later as i'm sure it will amount to no secured bi-monthly source of income. ho!

1.10.2008

i don't know if i believe in the validity of the title of this blog, but it's a nice thought. a former co-worker of mine assured me that it's true, that it is a famous German saying. and who's to argue with them? i have always drank my coffee despite its inevitable drop in temperature. unless it happens to be Folgers, in which case, by that point it has truly lost its ability to be swallowed.

this is new. if you read this, you make me smile. you may not see me whilst smiling, but i promise you its happening.